Talk radio powered by higher calling

northjersey.com ^ | 10.25.09 | EVONNE COUTROS

[Coleus]

The Rev. Pawel Franciszek Szurek is taking his message of Christian empowerment from the pulpit to the airwaves with a new show, "Change Your Attitude … Change Your Life," debuting this morning at 9 on New York-based The Apple 970 AM, a 50,000-watt conservative-talk radio station.

Szurek — born in Krakow, Poland, and pastor for two years at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Clifton — never dreamed he'd rise to the level of The Apple. Szurek recently became an instant hit at a radio gig on WMTR 1250 AM by offering messages of spiritual strength, despite, he says, an accent and only a few years of English lessons.

Next, Szurek got his own Saturday morning show on WMTR with producer Joan Herrmann.

The broader broadcast range of The Apple is a blessing, the two say. With both shows airing on weekends, Szurek has earned the moniker "Father Hollywood" from friends and parishioners, but says he's not letting it go to his head. His is a message of information — and empowerment.

Szurek and Herrmann recently sat down with The Record to talk about the new show:

Q. The addition of The Apple into the mix complements the WMTR show, but is the audience the same? What is the message you hope to spread and is radio the best venue?

Szurek: This is definitely the approach we should take today — using every possible way to reach people. I wanted to go to the mainstream media to reach them. If people are lost, maybe don't know their direction, my message focuses more on those people. From time to time we have great strength — spiritual strength — but from time to time, we doubt, we are searching.

Herrmann: Father doesn't want to preach to the choir. Our goal is mainstream. Our goal is to touch on topics that are important to people's lives, to give them knowledge to empower them to live happy, productive lives. It's not religious, per se. He wants to reach people who are searching, doubting and looking for information … people that for whatever reason need to find their way. We've had expert guests who talk about a variety of tops such as depression, suicide, alcoholism, even financial planning.

Q. What has been the feedback in these recent weeks on WMTR, and how is the show touching people's lives?

Szurek: We're finding more and more that teenagers are listening to us because they're sending e-mail and text messages. They listen at 7:30 in the morning, something I don't know I would have done as a teenager.

Q. How did the two of you come together in a joint venture that may now take you to a national level?

Herrmann: We decided to do a 45-minute training video for altar servers, and Father and I wrote the script. One day, we thought he would be a good guest on WMTR. He fielded a variety of questions — from abortion to euthanasia. The feedback we received right after that show is that people felt they were talking to a friend. The next step is: Why not? And on July 11, he premiered on WMTR.

Q. You are an admirer of both St. Paul and Pope John Paul II. What drew you away from studying law for two years in Poland to the priesthood?

Szurek: My name, Pawel, translates to Paul. Like St. Paul, you have to go out to the people. That's the way to reach them today as it was then. Law was not my vocation in life. In some way, I try — on a small scale — to do what John Paul II was doing by going out to the public. I felt called to the priesthood. I remember when John Paul II came to Poland, he was so overwhelming and inspiring. I said in my heart that I wanted to be like him. I've met many in my life who didn't try to preach, didn't try to show that they are better than everyone else, and I've been impressed by that. In the end, it's not about judging people or putting someone down. The message of Christ is simple: We are created to love and be loved.

[Coleus]

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